Ajjexandeb stoey



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER STORY, OF WASHINGTON, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 275,870, dated April 17, 1883.

Application lcd February 3, 1853. (No model.)

To all whom it may concernv Be it known that I, ALEXANDER STORY, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Washington, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

M v invention is an improvement in carconplings so arranged that cars coming together will couple automatically. It is simple, durable, and reliable at all times.

It consists mainly of a bent steel spring, as shown in Figure l, and adjusted inthe drawhead as shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, Fig. l represents the bent self-adjustable steel spring A. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of an ordinary draw-head with flaring mouth, with the4 bent spring inserted.

In the upper side of the draw-head, near the front part, is a recess for the reception ofthe end a of the spring, which springis held in place by a bolt, b. The upper.prong,o,of the spring presses against the upper side of the drawhead when the coupling-link is in place. The lower prong, d, pressing down upon the end of the link, holds it in a horizontal position ready for entering the mouth of the approaching draw-head. This lower prong ofthe spring ay has a hole, e, near the end, which, when the link is in place, isin range with the two holes in the draw-head, through which the coupling-pin drops, and fastens the link. When the link is withdrawn the end of the spring drops down to the dotted line g, covering the lower hole in the draw-head, ati'ording a place for the coupling-pin to stand on, thus preventing it (the pin) from entering the lower hole. There is a recess, f, into which the spring drops when the link is withdrawn. NVhen the vlink in coupling is pushed back into thedrawhead it raises the end of the spring till the hole in it ranges with the two holes in the draw-head, when the pin that stood on the end ot' the prong drops into place and the coupling is done. To prevent the pin from dropping too soon, or before the end of the link passes the hole, the prong is raised a little higher than the thickness of the link before the three holes are exactly in range. This is done by the point ot' the prong heilig lower than at the hole because ot'its inclination. On either side of the upper prong there is, as seen in Fig. 2, at t', a projection in the sides of the draw-head, which gradually extends down ward as it recedes from the niouth of the drawhead. This is intended to prevent thelink as it enters from striking against the lower prong` of the spring and vraising it too soon and dropping the pin before the link is in place or has passed beyond the pin. Tile lower prong is thicker than the upper one, and strengthened by ridges h on either side ot' the hole, both on the upper and under side of the prong. The ridges on the under side are intended notonly tostrengthen the prong, but to prevent the link from striking against the edge ofthe hole when entering. The upper hole in the drawhead is of considerable depth, and the pin tits nicely in itA This is to steady the lower end ofthe pin and cause it to drop readily through the lower holes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the draw-head pro,- vided with a recess in its upper interior wall, in combination with the spring A, pivoted at b, having short arm c and long arm d, the latter provided with the thickened and curved end, strengthening-ribs h, and pinhole c, as and for the purpose svt forth.

2. A draw-head having the iiaring mouth, and recessed as described, in combination with the pivoted double-armed spring having one arm ribbed and thickened, and provided with the slot e, as described and specitied.

. In testimony whereoiI have afixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEX. STORY.

Witnesses:

ALLEN HIGKoK, T. T. WILSON. 

